I signed up for membership at Tobin James Winery. Anything that comes out of there for club members is more than perfection.
I like the following:
Malbec "James Gang reserve"
Primitivo "James Gang Reserve" (primitivo is my one of my favorites's of all time)
Zinfandel-french camp vineyard
Zinfandel-silver reserve
Cabarnet sauvignon-James gang reserve
Meritage- Estate private stash
5-bordeaux blend (best of the best)
Syrah-James gang reserve
For an all time favorite dessert wine:
Late harvest Zinfandel-liquid love

I also like the Syrah from Curtis Winery: the ambassador's vineyard
Also: Old ghost-old vine zinfandel.
there you go. hope that helped.

Big fan of the SCV Pinot Noir's
BV - they have a lot of good options -georges de latour is amazing but pricey
Stag's Leap - great stuff - fair pricing
Newton's Vineyard - Puzzle - my favorite wine
Chateau St. Jean has some nice choices
ICE WINE - if you've never had this dessert wine you should try it. Chateau de Charmes 2007 was my favorite

Now for something more commercially available, my current favorite, which I don't drink often but when I do brings memories back and creates new ones, is Tignanello, with Castello di Brolio and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (various cabs) tied for 2nd.

Lots of really average wines listed (but of course wine can be very personal) and very few exceptional wines mentioned.

Silver Oak and Caymus Special Select have both been already mentioned.

2006 Flaccianello Della Pieve may be the best wine I've ever had.

Most of my favorite wines I can't afford on a regular basis.

Well sure. I've had Sassicaia, Gaja, Solaia, Latour, Mouton, and they are special, but I don't include them as my favorites since I don't drink them regularly. As a "favorite," I tend to assign some sort of regularity to their consumption.

I've never had the Pieve you mention, but I've seen it around. Is it a Brunello, or an IGT blend?

Well sure. I've had Sassicaia, Gaja, Solaia, Latour, Mouton, and they are special, but I don't include them as my favorites since I don't drink them regularly. As a "favorite," I tend to assign some sort of regularity to their consumption.

I've never had the Pieve you mention, but I've seen it around. Is it a Brunello, or an IGT blend?

Didn't really consider frequency of consumption to be a requirement of being a "favorite", but I understand what you're saying.

I have just had the best freaking bottle of wine I have ever tasted in my life. I will say this with the qualifier that I have a friend who likes very good wines and often shares them with me. I have tasted Opus One, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Silver Oak, etc. I have shared this new wine with my friend and he agreed it was outstanding, one of the best he has ever tasted.

Ledson Wineries 2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Nior. The Ledson wines are not sold through distributors. They must be purchased directly from the winery. I picked up a few bottles while on vacation in California earlier this year. I plan to order more.

Casillero Del Diablo is an excellent daily drinker, it's a chilean wine with a really interesting story behind the brand, the red's are very nice....

Had quite a few of those, and agree with your view. About $9 here. Also many others in that price range. If you go upmarket surely there are better wines. But from $60+ a bottle I prefer a single mault for the money.